


Book Club

by jooliewrites



Series: Coliver Week 2014 [5]
Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, book clubs, fluffy fluff fluff, its just fluff, sleeping habits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 10:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2729216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jooliewrites/pseuds/jooliewrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Connor loves Oliver.</p><p>He does.</p><p>He really really does.</p><p>It’s just this new reading before bed thing that he cannot get behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Book Club

**Author's Note:**

> Cross posted from Tumblr.
> 
> My take on Friday's prompt for [Coliver Week 2014](http://coliverweek.tumblr.com/) \- Coliver + Literature

Connor loves Oliver.

He does.

He really really does.

It’s just this new reading before bed thing that he cannot get behind.

Well, Oliver reading before bed is not a _new_ new addition to the evening routine, which they practically had down to a science. First it was brushing teeth, washing faces, all that good stuff. Then they’d climb into bed and Oliver would shove his feet under Connor’s before picking up whatever the book of the week was. Meanwhile, Connor watched _The Daily Show_ and was normally a barely functioning zombie by the time the moment of Zen rolled around. It was almost all he could do to turn off the TV and ditch the remote before rolling over to burrow into Oliver’s side. Once there, Connor would wait patiently for Oliver to wrap up the passage he was the middle of before the book went down and the lights went off.

It was plain and boring and sickeningly domestic.

And Connor loved every minute of it.

Until stupid Brian from Oliver’s stupid office convinced Oliver to join a stupid fucking book club.

Now Connor finds himself watching not only _The Daily Show_ but also _The Colbert Report_ and at least half of _At Midnight_ before turning off the TV and just giving up while Oliver continues to read. And read. And READ!

Connor tries to fall asleep while Oliver reads; it’s just that he’s very sensitive to light when falling asleep. He has to turn his back to Oliver and shove his face in the pillow and pull the comforter almost over his head to block out the light and even then he still doesn’t go down. Connor normally just lies there awake and staring at the wall; very aware that the only part of Oliver he is touching are the cold feet under his own while he waits for Oliver to finish.

Sometimes, after the book is down and the light is off, Oliver scoots over to Connor’s side of the bed so he can wrap his arms around Connor and pull him back to the middle of the bed. With his back to Oliver’s front and Oliver’s nose buried in the nape of his neck, Connor lets out the tension and anger he didn’t know he was holding on to and falls asleep content.

But that’s only sometimes. The other nights Oliver shuts off the light and turns away, onto his own side, so they sleep with their backs to each other. Those are the mornings that when Connor wakes up not even their feet are touching and even though there isn’t really that much space between them on the bed Connor doesn’t bridge the gap to lay a hand on Oliver’s chest.

Oliver buys a book light but it isn’t bright enough and he gives himself a headache straining his eyes. The third night the headache grows into a full-blown migraine and Connor throws the stupid thing away. His inability to fall asleep like a normal person is not going to be reason for his husband’s migraines.

Connor tries wearing an eye mask again but, just like before, the mask proves to be much more annoying than the light itself and Connor spends most of the night tossing and turning. Oliver convinces him to put it away again as they are brushing their teeth one morning and promises to do his evening reading in the living room. It’s a decent solution but Connor still lies awake in bed until Oliver comes in, all the while very aware of the cold, empty space next to him.

They each try to talk about it but what should be a simple discussion ends up dissolving into petty squabbling or a knock-down, drag out fight, neither of which solves nothing. In the end, Connor decides to just let the whole thing go. It’s either be constantly bickering with his husband or get a full night’s sleep and for him the choice is simple.

He does miss sleeping though, Connor muses as he turns off the TV that night. He turns to put the remote on the nightstand and adjust his pillow, getting ready for at least a good hour of staring at the wall and listening to Oliver turn pages, when the room is plunged into darkness.

“What the—” Connor turns toward Oliver who his fluffing his own pillows after turning out the light. “Thought you were reading.”

“Told Brian I’m out of book club,” Oliver simply states as they get situated. They are each firmly on their own sides of the bed but are facing each other at least so Connor decides to count that as a win. “It wasn’t any fun.” Connor hums in sympathy and they’re both silent.

“Plus,” Oliver whispers. “I didn’t like how it was affecting us.” He plucks at the sheet with his fingertips. “They all read so fast so I was rushing to keep up and staying up too late. And you couldn’t sleep and I was feeling really guilty about that. And we’re fighting over stupid things. And it just—” Oliver trails off and Connor waits for him to continue. “There got to be too much—space between us. You know?” Oliver gestures to the space currently between the two of them but Connor knows Oliver isn’t just talking about physical space. “I didn’t like how it was making us so—disconnected. I just—I just didn’t like it.”

Oliver then reaches out to tentatively rest a hand on Connor’s chest and Connor reaches up with one of his own to press it closer. “Ollie,” he says simply; forgiveness and an apology of his own all wrapped in a single word. They each reach to pull each other closer and end up in the middle of the bed with their chests pressed together and their legs tangled. _This_ is how they are meant to fall asleep.

“You don’t have to give up book club though,” Connor says after a moment. “I mean, you don’t have to give it up for me.” He needs to make sure that’s clear. “We can work harder. Figure something else out.”

“I’m not,” Oliver replies. “Really. I’m not. It really wasn’t any fun. Brian is great but—just didn’t click with his friends and the books were so _heavy_. It made me feel a little stupid actually.”

“You’re kidding me. You read nonstop.”

“Not like this.” Oliver fusses with Connor’s shirt. “The books were all so philosophical and deep. I mean that’s good and helpful and has its place—just not all the time and not for something that was meant to be fun.” Oliver pauses and Connor can sense there’s going to be more. “And I never seemed to get the point in the discussions. It kinda made me feel like college English and I was failing all over again. Give me spy stories with car chases any day.”

“I know.” Connor murmurs, pulling them closer. He missed holding Oliver like this before bed. Connor might not always be the most affectionate when they’re in public but when they’re alone like this, swaddled under blankets and encased in the stillness of evening, he just cannot get enough gentle touches and soft words. “I’m the one you dragged to see James Bond twice.”

“Shut up. You loved it,” Oliver chides.

“Of course I loved it,” he agrees. “Daniel Craig is hot.”

“Damn right he’s hot.” Oliver smiles a little as he burrows into the pillows and closes his eyes.

“What’s with that smile?” Connor teases and rubs a thumb over Oliver’s cheek before gently pushing fingers through Oliver’s hair. “Should I be worried?”

Oliver opens his eyes to give Connor a look. “Yes. I’m leaving you for Daniel Craig. Our eyes met across a crowded room and he instantly fell in love with me.” His eyes drift shut and he adjusts again to get a little closer. “I thought this would be the best time to tell you.”

“Well, good to know.” Connor trails a hand up Oliver’s arm. “I always knew that Daniel Craig had amazing taste. In fact—”

Oliver cuts him off with a quick kiss. “Go to sleep Connor.”

“Okay.” Connor watches as Oliver closes his eyes and nestles down to yet again before brushing a hand down Oliver’s chest and over his hip. “Hey Ollie,” Connor asks with a hint of faux innocence in his tone. He waits until Oliver’s eyes meet his own before trailing a finger down Oliver’s length over his pajamas. Oliver’s hips give a small thrust but Connor keeps the touch light and gentle. “Do you really want to go to sleep?”

“No,” Oliver breathes out as Connor teases him.

“I didn’t think so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed and thank you all so much for the comments and kudos on this series. You are all so nice. Lots of hugs and warm fuzzy thoughts.  
> -Jules xoxo
> 
> PS: I know there are two more days of ColiverWeek but I don't think I'm going to be able to participate (sorry!). But check out the tag/page on tumblr. Lots of fun fics and gif sets and things were posted. So much fun! :-)
> 
> [x](http://ramblesandreblogs.tumblr.com)


End file.
